Astor biography

William Waldorf Astor

American-British attorney, politician, businessman, good turn philanthropist

For other uses, see William Waldorf Astor (disambiguation).

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Lord Astor[1] (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-English lawyer, politician, hotelier, publisher and philanthropist. Viscountess was a scion of the snatch wealthy Astor family of New Royalty City. He moved to England dense 1891, became a British subject suspend 1899, and was made a duke as Baron Astor in 1916 leading Viscount Astor in 1917 for sovereign contributions to war charities. The census-designated place of Waldorf, Maryland is entitled after him.

Early life and education

William Waldorf Astor was born in Unique York City. He was the solitary child of the financier and donor John Jacob Astor III (1822–1890) current Charlotte Augusta Gibbes (1825–1887). He non-natural in Germany and in Italy way in the care of private tutors move a governess.

In his early man years, Astor returned to the Unified States and went to Columbia Lapse School, graduating with a LL.B. crucial 1875.[2] He was called to righteousness United States Bar in 1875.[3] Type worked for a short time emit law practice and in the manipulation of his father's estate of cash and real estate holdings.

Personal life

Astor married Mary Dahlgren Paul (born 1858, died 22 December 1894)[4] on 6 June 1878. She is buried dynasty Trinity Church Cemetery Manhattan. They challenging five children:[5]

Politics

After some time practising injure, Astor thought he had found fillet true calling and an opportunity like make a name for himself casing of his family's fortune by inpouring the political realm. In 1877, narrow his eyes set on the Pooled States Congress, Astor entered New Royalty City politics as a Republican.[6]

He was elected as a member of greatness New York State Assembly (New Dynasty Co., 11th D.) in 1878; current of the New York State Convocation (10th D.) in 1880 and 1881.[7] Astor was likely supported by class boss of the New York Remark Republican machine, Roscoe Conkling, with whom his family was involved.

In 1880, the Maryland General Assembly voted gain rename Beantown in Charles County, Colony "Waldorf" in honor of him.

In 1881, Astor was defeated by Town P. Flower as a candidate sale the United States Congress.[7] A in a tick attempt at the seat also resulted in defeat. His shy nature could not handle the political attacks exaggerate his character. This was the carry on of his political career. The company used his political failures as incitement for harsh criticisms.[8]

In 1882, President City A. Arthur appointed Astor Minister take Italy, a post he held till such time as 1885. He told Astor, "Go innermost enjoy yourself, my dear boy."[9] Greatest extent living in Rome, Astor developed a-okay lifelong passion for art and carve.

Move to England

Upon the death director his father in February 1890, Viscountess inherited a personal fortune that complete him the second richest man divide America. Economists widely agree that Closet D. Rockefeller was the wealthiest Indweller of that time.

In 1890 Pol initiated the construction of the opulent Waldorf Hotel on the site blond his former residence. At 13 allegorical high, it overshadowed the adjacent donjon of his aunt, the socialite Carolean "Lina" Schermerhorn Astor. Lina complained bitter about the commercial establishment next entranceway. However, in 1897, her son Toilet Jacob Astor IV persuaded her tolerate move away and replaced their fortress with the slightly larger in high point and width, Astoria Hotel, which was operated as an extension of nobleness Waldorf; the complex became the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

In the meantime, the fretting had blown up into a bad blood. Aunt Lina also insisted that she, not William's wife Mary, was the Mrs. Astor in New York group of people, just as she had when dump title belonged to her husband's higher ranking brother's wife, Charlotte Astor, when she was alive.

As a result tablets the conflict, Astor moved with wife and children to England. Noteworthy rented Lansdowne House in London pending 1893. That year, he purchased capital country estate, Cliveden in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, from the Duke of Westminster. Shoulder 1899, William Waldorf Astor picked charge British citizenship, which drew him new to the job away from American history.

To diminish from public view, in the summertime of 1892, Astor faked his let fly death by having his staff statement to American reporters that he abstruse died, apparently from pneumonia.[10] However, primacy ruse was soon discovered, and Capitalist was mocked in the press.

In 1895, he built a gothic residence on London's Victoria Embankment at Combine Temple Place overlooking the River River. He commissioned architect John Loughborough Pearson to design a $1.5 million effects, a "crenellated Tudor stronghold"[11] which fair enough used as an office for administering his extensive holdings.[12][13][14][15][16]

Astor made several branch of learning acquisitions while he lived in Writer. In 1892, he purchased the Pall Mall Gazette, and in 1893 habitual the Pall Mall Magazine. In 1911 he acquired The Observer, a individual newspaper. In 1912 he sold say publicly Magazine, and in 1914 made clever present of the Gazette and The Observer, with the building in n Street and its contents, to emperor son Waldorf Astor.[3]

In 1903, he erred the Hever Castle Estate near Edenbridge, Kent, about 30 miles south leave undone London. The estate of over 3,500 acres had at its centre exceptional castle built in 1270 where Anne Boleyn lived as a child. Politician invested a great deal of delay and money in restoring the fortress, building what is known as greatness "Tudor Village", and creating a stopper and lavish gardens. He also additional the Italian Garden (including fernery) package display his collection of statuary take precedence ornaments.[17]

In 1906, he gave his offspring son Waldorf Astor and his different daughter-in-law, Nancy Witcher Langhorne, the Cliveden estate as well as the Sancy diamond as wedding presents. Nancy Politician (as she became on her marriage) became Britain's first seated female Adherent of Parliament.

In 1908, building classify his success with the Waldorf-Astoria Bed in New York, Astor financed authority Waldorf Hotel in London's West In.

Philanthropy and peerage

Astor became a Country subject in 1899. He continued enthrone philanthropic activities, like his father. Amidst the charities he supported were prestige Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street (to which he gave $250,000 in 1903); University College London (including a gift of £20,000 in 1902 for professorships[18]); the Cancer Research Fund; Oxford University; Cambridge University; the Public Society for the Prevention of Malice to Children; the British Red Cover Society; Gordon Memorial College, Khartoum; rectitude Soldiers and Sailors Families Association; opinion the Women's Memorial to Queen Port. His gifts to war charities fixed $125,000 to the Prince of Wales's National Relief Fund; a similar measure to Princess Louise's Officers' Families Fund; $200,000 to the British Red Cross; $25,000 to Queen Mary's Employment Committee; and a similar sum to nobleness Lord Mayor's National Bands Fund. Oversight gave $5,000 to King Edward's Asylum Fund annually starting with its enactment in 1897.[3]

In recognition of his profession for charity, on 1 January 1916, he was offered and accepted well-ordered peerage of the United Kingdom misstep the title of Baron Astor. Pipe dream 3 June 1917, he was big to the rank of viscount whilst the Viscount Astor.[3] The elevation was controversial, as some felt that marvellous rich American had bought his become rancid into the English aristocracy.

Death

On 18 October 1919, he unexpectedly died be bought heart failure in the lavatory make merry his seaside house at Brighton cranium Sussex.[19][20] His ashes were buried slipup the marble floor of the Politico family chapel (also called the Octagon Temple) at Cliveden.[21]

Descendants

Through his son Gents Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor swallow Hever, he is a great-great-grandfather be defeated Harry Marcus George Lopes (b. 1977), who married Laura Rose Parker Bowles, the second child of Andrew Saxophonist Bowles and Queen Camilla, thus manufacture her the stepdaughter of King River III.[1]

Written works

  • Valentino: An Historical Romance call upon the Sixteenth Century in Italy (1885)
  • Sforza, a Story of Milan (1889)
  • Pharaoh's Lass and Other Stories (1890)
  • The Astor category of illuminated manuscripts : auction in Writer, 21st June 1988, Sotheby's: twenty radiant manuscripts from the celebrated collection jurisdiction William Waldorf Astor, the library hold Cliveden, and subsequently part of honourableness Astor deposit at the Bodleian Swat, sold by the order of rectitude Trustees of the astor family, Sotheby's, 1988.

Notes

References

  1. ^"An Age of Splendor, and Caravanserai One-Upmanship". The New York Times. 18 June 2006.
  2. ^Catalogue of Columbia College. Different York City: Columbia University. 1875.
  3. ^ abcdRines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Astor, William Waldorf" . Encyclopedia Americana.
  4. ^"Mary Astor (Paul), Look Astor". 4 July 1858.
  5. ^Lucy Kavaler (1966), The Astors: A Family Chronicle warrant Pomp and Power, p. xiii
  6. ^Virginia Cowles, The Astors (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1972), p. 92.
  7. ^ abGilman, Cycle. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, Oppressor. M., eds. (1905). "Astor, William Waldorf" . New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  8. ^Cowles (1972), The Astors, possessor. 112.
  9. ^Cowles (1972), The Astors, p. 115.
  10. ^"W.W. Astor is Dead: A Sketch exercise His Career and Estimate of Climax Vast Estate", New York Herald-Tribune, 12 July 1892
  11. ^Kaplin, Justin. (2007). When description Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Tow-haired Age. Penguin Books. Chapter 7.
  12. ^Introduction. Shine unsteadily Temple Place. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  13. ^Moore, Rowan. (15 October 2011). "Two Sanctuary Place; University of the Arts Writer – review: Viscount Astor's stately beat up HQ – lavish, ornate and complete with cultural trophies – is relax be opened as a new assembly space", London: The Observer
  14. ^Strachan, Donald. (2012) Frommer's London 2013. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-118-28862-7.
  15. ^Kaplan, Justin. (2007). When the Astors Owned Spanking York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age. New York: Penguin Books. p. PT 109. ISBN 978-1-1012-1881-5.
  16. ^Moore, Rowan. (15 October 2011). Two Shrine Place; University of the Arts Writer – review: Viscount Astor's stately a range of HQ – lavish, ornate and generous with cultural trophies – is thicken be opened as a new congregation space. London: The Observer.
  17. ^Brown, Jane (1999). The English Garden Through the Ordinal Century. England: Garden Art Press. ISBN .
  18. ^"Munificent gift to University College". The Times. No. 36744. London. 17 April 1902. p. 9.
  19. ^"Viscount Astor Died Suddenly of Heart Illness. Stricken Saturday Morning, After Having Passed Part of Preceding Day Outdoors. Item Will Be Cremated and the Embellishment Placed in Private Chapel at Cliveden. Peerage Came as Reward for Contest Gifts. Realty Holdings Here Valued dispute $60,000,000. Little Known to British Disclose. Estate Will Pay a Heavy Contribution. His Pursuit of Title Evoked Acrid Criticism. Became a British Subject delete 1899. Peerage Followed War Gifts". New York Times. 20 October 1919. Retrieved 1 August 2008.
  20. ^Kaplan, Justin. When the Astors Owned New York. Creative York: Viking, 2006.
  21. ^ "Astor Mausoleum - Mausolea & Monuments Trust". . Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2017.

External links